Randy G. wrote:Go to my website and check out these three chapters on my blog to see how I came to the decision to eliminate the LM and other possible choices and settled on the Decent:
159 - On Choosing A New Espresso Machine - Part One
160 - On Choosing A New Espresso Machine - Part Two
161 - Consistency, Control, Technology, and the March of Time

TLDR; The Decent can be a set-and-forget experience, or can give you the opportunity to change brewing parameters to an extent that no other machine can match.

TigerShot wrote:Mike,

I went back today to see when I ordered the Vivaldi and it was almost 11 years now. I told my wife we should keep it for our teenage son and let him take it to college. She wants it out of the house though, so I am going to try to sell it here or on marketplace. I kept the shipping box all these years thinking I may have to send it back to CC for repairs, but I always managed to do them myself. Since you are in Seattle, I bet you could do Fb marketplace and sell yours pretty easily.

Looking at some previous selling prices here, it looks like the range will be $750-$800. Do you have any thoughts on what we can get for them?

Good luck on the LMLM!! If we leaned toward a more contemporary aesthetic, that would have been our choice over the GS3. When I was doing my researching, it came across to me as a great no-nonsense rock-solid machine.

Steve

Chadwick wrote:Hi everyone -

Long-time lurker here, but I used to be very frequent on CoffeeGeek and other forums. I sold most of my equipment (Isomac Tea, Mazzer Mini) several years ago when I started traveling a lot and just couldn't keep up with everything.

I'd consider myself very experienced in E61, home roasting, tuning the shot, etc. We use a Gaggia super auto now, because my family enjoys their coffee and they don't enjoy the process as much as I do.

I've been doing the usual research, and before I went into that rabbit hole I was planning on getting a GS/3. I've always wanted an LM, so it's for that reason only. That said, the DE1 looks very interesting, and though the underlying quality, history, etc. doesn't appeal to me the ability to fine tune everything does.

Requirements:

• Dual boiler
• I prefer volumetric, but that's not critical
• Easy temperature control
• Ability to be plumbed in
• Ability to consistently pull 2-5 shots back-to-back, but 90% of the time it's only 2
• Cost isn't really a concern, but I like getting good value for money

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

TigerShot wrote:Mike,

Thanks for the info on pricing that you've seen too.

When I ordered the MP, I confirmed that if we had buyer's remorse that we could swap it out for a AV. After having it for a few weeks, that isn't going to happen. We've been very happy with it. My wife was concerned about not being to push a button and be done with it, but I haven't heard her complain. I set it up so she could push the paddle all the way to the left, watch the timer and be done after 25 seconds. We both enjoy the physical aspect of the paddle and participating in pulling shots.

We can afford the machine, but I still shake my head wondering what I was thinking spending so much $$. I don't regret it though.

I can't say that I've noticed much difference in the portafilter size change. We just received a bottomless portafilter a couple of days ago, and we haven't had any spritzed shots yet. The wider tamper/basket makes it easier to tamp because my big fingers have more room to feel the outside of the tamper/basket to judge if it is out of level.

Things I like vs the S1: the design, setting the machine to automatically turn on/off with the app, shorter height fits under the cabinet better, and great steam/hot water that lasts and lasts with quick recovery. One thing that I didn't think about that was a nice surprise is the water dispenser. I can adjust the temperature of the water so it doesn't go everywhere like the S1. The water dispenser also has the ability to set the amount of water that it dispenses. I have it set up to perfectly fill my cup for the instant noodles I like. I plumbed both machines, and I gave up on the drain in the S1 because it kept getting gummed up. The GS3 uses a hose the size of a dishwasher drain, so I'm crossing my fingers that isn't going to be a problem this time. I bought my machine directly from LM, and I was concerned about leaving Chris Coffee, but so far after three or four times contacting their service department, it has been exceptional. Having a shot timer on the display is very helpful. The blue lights for the buttons are not as glaring as the green and red on the S1. When/if I do need to work on it, removal of the side panels is a breeze. Man I hated taking the panels off the S1 and having to fish the screws out so often. Lastly, I'm looking forward to the deeper dive into light roasted beans that the MP allows.

The cons that I have are: I am not a lefty, so it is taking some time figuring out the ergonomics of holding the steam tip in the milk, and flipping the toggle on. I had to adjust the micro switch on the paddle the first day. I was disappointed that the issue wasn't caught during the bench test at the factory. Parts appear to be pretty pricey.

In the end, the design of the GS3 drove our purchase as much as anything. I've lusted after one since they first came out, and still generates emotion when I see it. We can probably call the purchase a mini mid-life crisis. Now if I can somehow figure out how to get that Buick Grand National I envied in HS....

Cheers!

Steve